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Swainson’s hawks seen on base

By 2nd Lt. Crystal Brown, Base natural resources manager / Published July 19, 2007

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MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Malmstrom is part of Big Sky country yet we see very little of the wildlife that call it home. The base is small, surrounded by a tall fence. Plus there is activity over almost every foot of the base, leaving only small patches of undisturbed land for wildlife to comfortably inhabit. 

However, from time to time new wildlife species are sighted on Malmstrom. Since April, a pair of Swainson's hawks have nested in the poplars by Camp Grizzly. Two fledglings made their first appearance in the nest in late June. 

Swainson's hawks (Buteo swainsoni), are common in the state of Montana but have started to decline in other parts of the United States due to loss of habitat. These large hawks usually nest in river bottom forests, brushy coulees and shelter belts. Common hunting grounds include grasslands and agricultural lands. The Swainson's hawk feeds primarily on small mammals, songbirds and insects. In September the parents and young will make their annual migration to Argentina for the winter, according to Identification of Montana's Birds of Prey by Kristi DuBois and Dale Becker. 

If their nest is left intact over the winter, these hawks will return in the spring to raise young. They have a distinctive 'kree-kree' that lets you know that they are around and watching their young. If you feel compelled to seek out the nest, please do so cautiously in small, quiet groups. They are moderately tolerant of humans but have been known to dive-bomb bird watchers. 

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